Medical professionals excel at finding solutions in patient care. “We are great at coming up with the ‘next big thing’: we have brilliant people who are at the front lines of innovation,” says Louise Keogh Weed, program director of the Health Care Leadership Intensive for Managers program and a practice transformation specialist at the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care. However, implementing these innovative solutions remains a significant challenge. It can be easy to ideate and harder to execute on brilliant ideas in health care—which means, generally, that the industry is constantly at risk of coming up with ideas but not delivering on maximum impact. The challenges are manifold, but the unique systemic, monetary, and hierarchical challenges in these environments make change particularly thorny. “Health care is filled with moral injury because you’re constantly failing—you want to help people, and the system isn’t built to do that,” says Keogh Weed. Therefore, mastering change management in health care is crucial to ensure these innovations make a tangible impact.
1. Establish Urgency
In the world of health care, establishing a sense of urgency is the first critical step in managing change effectively. It involves capturing the attention of the entire team or community about the pressing need for change and convincing them of the vital importance of immediate action. Without a strong sense of urgency, change efforts can stall, leading to missed opportunities and continued failures. The consequences of inaction must be highlighted clearly to create a compelling case for change. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgent need for remote health access and safer patient care led to rapid changes in health care delivery systems within a week.
This urgency underscores the necessity of change management and ensures that everyone understands the stakes. It is essential to communicate the potential risks of maintaining the status quo and the benefits of taking immediate action. This step sets the tone for the entire change process, creating a shared understanding of the need for change and motivating the team to engage in the subsequent steps with enthusiasm and commitment.
2. Form a Leading Team
Once urgency is established, the next step is to form a team of key stakeholders who will lead the change initiative. This leading team should be composed of multidisciplinary members with diverse perspectives to enhance the effectiveness of the change effort. Including individuals from various departments and levels within the organization ensures that the team has a wealth of cognitive diversity, which is crucial for identifying potential challenges and developing innovative solutions. The team should be carefully selected to include those who are not only knowledgeable but also passionate about the change process.
The leading team’s role is to drive the change forward, providing guidance, support, and accountability throughout the process. They will develop the vision and strategy for the change, communicate with the broader organization, and remove barriers that may impede progress. By including a variety of voices and perspectives, the leading team can ensure that the change process is equitable and considers the needs and concerns of all stakeholders. This collaborative approach helps to build a strong foundation for the change initiative and fosters a sense of ownership and commitment among team members.
3. Develop a Vision
Creating a clear and compelling vision for the change is essential for guiding the team and maintaining focus. This vision should articulate the desired future state and the strategic initiatives that will help achieve it. A well-defined vision statement provides a framework for decision-making and ensures that all actions align with the overarching goals of the change initiative. It is important to make the vision aspirational, yet achievable, and to communicate it in a way that resonates with all team members. The vision should also highlight the benefits of the change, both for the organization and for the individuals involved.
In addition to the vision statement, strategic initiatives should be developed to outline the specific steps that will be taken to achieve the vision. These initiatives should be actionable, measurable, and time-bound, providing a roadmap for the change process. By creating a vision and strategic initiatives, the leading team can ensure accountability and maintain a clear focus on the goals of the change effort. This step also helps to foster a sense of purpose and direction among team members, motivating them to contribute to the success of the change initiative.
4. Communicate and Rally Support
Effective communication is a cornerstone of successful change management. It involves not only conveying the vision and strategic initiatives but also balancing support and opposition to the goal. It is essential to unite people around the shared vision while allowing for resistance and debate. Open and transparent communication fosters trust and ensures that all team members feel heard and valued. Leaders should model openness to feedback and errors, demonstrating a willingness to listen, learn, and adapt as needed. This approach helps to create a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
Rallying support for the change initiative requires engaging with stakeholders at all levels of the organization. This involves regular updates, town hall meetings, and other forms of communication that keep everyone informed and involved. It is important to address concerns and provide opportunities for team members to ask questions and offer input. By actively involving stakeholders in the change process, leaders can build a sense of ownership and commitment, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation. Additionally, celebrating small wins and recognizing individual contributions can help to build momentum and reinforce the importance of the change effort.
5. Eliminate Obstacles and Empower
Removing barriers that may hinder the progress of the change initiative is a critical step in the process. These barriers can be institutional, cultural, or even logistical, and it is essential to identify and address them early on. Empowering team members to take action and make decisions is also crucial for maintaining momentum and ensuring the success of the change effort. Leaders should share information as it arises, encourage risk-taking, and foster cross-functional collaboration to help the team move forward. By eliminating obstacles and empowering team members, leaders can create an environment that supports innovation and continuous improvement.
One way to address barriers is to conduct a thorough assessment of the current state, identifying potential challenges and areas for improvement. This assessment should involve input from a diverse group of stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues. Once barriers are identified, strategies should be developed to overcome them, such as providing additional resources, training, or support as needed. Empowering team members also involves creating a culture of accountability and ownership, where individuals feel responsible for the success of the change initiative and are motivated to contribute to its goals.
6. Achieve and Celebrate Quick Wins
Setting and achieving short-term goals is an essential aspect of maintaining momentum and building confidence in the change initiative. Quick wins demonstrate the effectiveness of the change effort and provide tangible evidence of progress. By celebrating these small victories, leaders can boost morale and reinforce the importance of the change effort. It is essential to set achievable goals that can be accomplished relatively quickly, providing opportunities for team members to see the impact of their work and feel a sense of accomplishment.
Celebrating quick wins also helps to build momentum for future actions, creating a positive feedback loop that encourages continued effort and commitment. Recognizing and rewarding team contributions can help to foster a sense of pride and ownership in the change initiative. This step is particularly important in health care, where burnout and fatigue are common challenges. By acknowledging and celebrating progress, leaders can help to mitigate these issues and keep team members motivated and engaged.
7. Maintain Momentum
As the change process progresses, it is crucial to maintain momentum and ensure that the initial enthusiasm and commitment do not wane. This involves implementing necessary institutional changes, such as hiring, promoting, implementing new tools or training, and establishing new projects. Leaders should continuously assess the progress of the change initiative, making adjustments as needed to keep the team on track. It is important to keep the vision and strategic initiatives front and center, reminding team members of the overarching goals and the reasons for the change effort.
Maintaining momentum also requires ongoing communication and engagement with stakeholders. Leaders should provide regular updates on the progress of the change initiative, highlighting successes and addressing any challenges or concerns that arise. This ongoing communication helps to build trust and ensure that everyone remains aligned with the goals of the change effort. Additionally, leaders should continue to celebrate achievements and recognize individual contributions, reinforcing the importance of the change initiative and keeping team members motivated and engaged.
8. Institutionalize New Approaches
Integrating the new approaches and practices into the organization’s culture is the final step in the change management process. This involves forming new habits and unlearning old ones, as well as establishing a new reward system for workers. It is essential to monitor the effectiveness of the new approaches and seek continuous improvement. Leaders should provide ongoing training and support to help team members adapt to the changes and ensure that the new practices become ingrained in the organization’s culture.
Institutionalizing new approaches also involves creating systems and processes that support the change effort, such as new policies, procedures, and performance metrics. By embedding the changes into the organization’s operations, leaders can ensure that the improvements are sustainable and have a lasting impact. It is important to regularly assess the effectiveness of the new approaches and make adjustments as needed to ensure continuous improvement. This step helps to solidify the gains achieved through the change process and create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the organization.
